Grading and Erosion Control
While most Projects focus on best practices to prevent water from flowing into the home through the roof, windows and other openings, managing water flow on the entire lot is just as important.
When establishing the final grade of the project, it’s important to make sure that water will move down and away from the foundation and exit the lot to an approved storm drain system or natural drainage way.
If the lot isn’t graded properly, water from storms and irrigation can run back toward the Structure and cause moisture issues at the foundation wall, or saturate the soil next to the foundation causing hydrostatic pressure against the wall. Hydrostatic pressure is basically the weight of the water bearing down on the foundation wall. This can result in foundation cracks, structural damage and even soil erosion.
In other cases an improperly graded lot can mean big trouble for the neighbors. Improperly diverted rain and snowmelt runoff can cause erosion and flooding for adjoining lots, leaving the homeowner and the builder liable for damages.
The best practice when working on the finished grade is to follow a grading plan prepared by a civil engineer at Enviro Assessment, PC. Specific techniques that may be included in the grading plan are creating swales to divert ground water, grading slopes that move water away from the foundation, as well as an accurate plan for how much soil will need to be removed from the site, or how much fill added.